(Not so extreme) couponing: Save money the college student way

It’s very possible that the single worst thing about where my college campus is located is the fact that there several shopping plazas within a single mile radius.

There’s Marshalls, there’s that shoe store with the Birkenstocks and UGGs and those unfairly cute black boots with the fringe on them. Look straight ahead and there are 19 different food outlets including a cupcake shop, an out-of-this-world Greek restaurant and a Ben and Jerry’s.

With so many temptations, how is a college student supposed to function without, you know, depleting her whole checking account?

The bad answer: never leave your room. The better answer: coupons.

I can see you laughing. Go ahead, laugh away but even though I may look like an old granny clipping away at my coupons, I get great satisfaction out of saving a few bucks. Walking through the grocery store I feel like a champ with my envelope full of coupons and a grocery cart full of food that I’m getting at a nice little discount.

My friend likes to take this couponing trend to a bit more of an extreme. Over break, he sent me a picture of at least 20 different coupons with the caption, “who’s ready for some extreme couponing?” (It’s probably unnecessary but I would like to point out that I do not endorse extreme cases like this.)

So (since there’s always a moral to my rambling accounts), here’s my advice for when you all go off to college: Reign in your spending! As fun as it is not to have to ask mom for permission every time you want something, remember to be smart about your finances.